I jog across the space. “Just gonna lock this.”
Colt and Joaquin chuckle, then pull me into their orbit as we race up the stairs.
25
JOAQUIN
Idon't believe that waking up with my men will ever get old. I slept like a rock last night, but I got up early, my brain unable to settle on the thing currently bringing the most joy—falling in love with Colt or Warwick allowing the two of us to love him back. I'm calling it a tie.
Trip’s words swirl around in there as well. I believe he has faith in us, but it is a risk, and we need to honor that.
Carefully shimmying out of bed, I stand and look back, loving how Warwick's face is relaxed as he cuddles up next to Colt. He looks younger than I’ve ever seen him look, as though he’s finally able to relax.
I make my way down the stairs, get the coffee started, and then head to the porch, where I go through my sun salutations. It's a particularly beautiful morning, with soft sunlight and warming temperatures. Probably a good day for a swim after a hard day’s work.
I am aware, of course, of how new all of this is. How fragile. And I don't want us to be fragile. I don't want this beautiful thing between us to feel risky. I want it to feel safe. Not just for me, but especially for Wick, and also Colt. In many ways, the three of us have been on our own, solitary even among friends, and this level of togetherness feels entirely new and unsettling and perfect.
I grin, knowing exactly who to call to help calm my nerves.
“Joaquin, I thought you'd forgotten my existence,” Ofelia jokes, her lilting Spanish always abalmto my soul.
“Ofelia, no one forgets you,” I respond, grinning as I sink down into one of the Adirondack chairs. Q, the asshole goose, joins me, and I stroke his feathers.
“It is true. I am quite unforgettable. Did Sebastián tell you that he and I are collaborating on a series together?”
“You know, the last I saw both of you together was at the hospital, so I’m behind on the news. There's just so much going on.”
“I gathered. Our son has many questions.”
“I have many answers,” I say, grinning.
“Yes? Is that happiness I hear in your tone?”
“Resplendent joy, my friend. Resplendent joy. And terror.”
Her resonant laugh settles my soul a bit. “That sounds about right. I remember when we fell in love, you were more terrified of me than those dangerous damn horses you used to ride.”
“A horse can break my ass, Ofelia. You could’ve broken my heart.”
“True, true. And have you given your heart to those boys?”
“Yes. Though, don't call them boys to their faces. They wouldn’t like it.”
She laughs. “They have no idea how young they actually are.”
I nod, wistful. “It's wonderful, actually. It feels like I've been given a new lease on life.”
“Yes, I understand that feeling deeply.”
Her husband is several years younger than she is, and their relationship, while quite different from ours, is grounded in joy and kindness. They are, in every possible way, the complement of one another.
“But I sense unease. What has you concerned, Joaquin?”
I let out a relieved breath. She always could read me. “This is all very new. We’re all very much in love, but this is an unusual relationship and an unusual working situation, and I feel unsteady. This could be the most amazing thing ever, or it could ruin everything. And I feel that, as the elder member of this union, I should be the stabilizing force.”
“A little difficult to do if you're feeling unstable, no?”
“Exactly.”
